Bending tool



C. ALLISON v BENDINGTOOL Sept. 22, 1959 2,905,224

Filed July 31, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR. Cd! "4 a ji f ATTD RN EYS Sept. 22, 1959 c. ALLISON 2,905,224

BENDING TOOL Filed July 31 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

6/7 01"; 4/[yvr gwyaw a ATTD RN EYE United States BENDING TOOL Clifford Allison, Mineral Point, Pa.

Application July 31, 1957, Serial No. 675,395

Claims. (Cl. 153-16) This invention relates to a bending tool, and more particularly to a tool for use in bending material such as sheet metal.

The object of the invention is to provide a tool which will permit material to be bent to different shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool which is especially suitable for bending material such as metal, wherein there is provided a manually operable member which is adapted to coact with a stationary member so that a piece of metal can be bent to a desired shape, and wherein there are provided gauges so that the metal can be bent to a predetermined angular position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metal bending tool which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts through the same:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the metal bending tool, constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2. is a front elevational view of the metal bending tool.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the bending tool.

Figure 4 is an elevational view showing one of the gauge bars.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken through the gauge bar of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view showing the attaching clip for the gauge bar of Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the bending tool, with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating the rotary body member.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the attaching clips for connection to the body member of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating one of the support members.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates each of a pair of L-shaped brackets which each include a horizontally disposed leg 12 that is adapted to be secured to a supporting .table through the medium of securing elements such as bolts or screws 11. Each of the brackets 10 further includes a vertically disposed leg 13, and a rectangular support member 14, Figure 10, is secured to each of the legs 13 of the brackets 10. The support members 14 are secured to the brackets 10 through the medium of suitable securing elements such as bolt and nut assemblies 15 which extend through openings 16 in the support members 14. Each of the support members 14 is further provided with a curved or arcuate groove 17 whereby a curved tongue or rib 19 which extends from a rotary body member 18 can be slidably or rotatably received therein, Figure 8.

Extending between said pair of body members 18 is a movable bar 20, and the bar 20 is secured to the body 2,985,224 Patented Sept. 22, 1959 members 18 through the medium of L-shaped clips 21, Figure 9. Thus, each of the clips 21 includes a portion 23 which is secured to a corresponding body member 18, and each clip 21 further includes a right angularly arranged portion 22 which is secured to an end of the bar 20. Arranged contiguous to the bar 20 is a plate 24 which is secured to the bar 20 through the medium of suitable screws or bolts 25, Figure 3. A manually operable means is provided for moving the bar 20 and the plate 24 whereby a piece of the material such as sheet metal can be bent, and this manually operable means comprises a handle 26 which has its end portions 27 secured to the bar 20 through the medium of bolt and nut assemblies 28.

The bending tool of the present invention further includes a stationary base 29 which extends between the pair of support members 14 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as for example by means of bolts or screws. A gauge plate 30 is mounted above the base 29, and the gauge plate 30 is provided with a tapered or pointed end portion 31. interposed or positioned between the gauge plate 30 and the base 29 is a spacer gauge 32 which is provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slots 33. Suitable securing elements such as bolts 34 extend through these slots 33 and through the gauge plate 30 and into engagement with the base 29. These parts coact to define a space 35 which is adapted to receive a portion of the sheet metal which is being bent so that by moving the handle 26 and associated parts from the solid line position of Figure 3 to the broken line position of Figure 3, the piece of metal seated in the space 35 can be bent to the desired angle.

There is further provided gauge bars 36, Figure 4, and each gauge bar 36 is provided with a cutout 37 which receives or engages an end of the base 29. An end of the gauge bar 36 is provided with an opening 38 whereby a suitable securing element such as a bolt 39 can extend through the opening 38 and into engagement with the base 29. The gauge bars 36 are further provided with openings 40 whereby suitable securing elements 41 can extend through slots in the spacer gauge 32 and into the openings 40. Gauge members 42 are provided with slots 43 whereby suitable securing elements 44 can extend through these slots 43 and into engagement with the gauge bars 36. The numeral 45 indicates a portion of a work bench, table or the like to which the brackets 10 may be bolted by means of the securing elements 11. Bolt and nut assemblies 46 serve to connect the portion 23 of the clips 21 to the body members 18. A pin 47 extends from the base 29 into an opening 48 in the support member 14, Figures 7 and 10.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a tool which is especially suitable for bending or shaping various material such as sheet metal. In use, with the parts arranged as shown in the solid line position of Figure 3, a piece of material to be bent such as a piece of sheet metal is adapted to be inserted in the space 35 which is defined between the gauge plate 30, the base 29, and the spacer gauge 32. Then, by manually gripping the handle 26 and moving the handle 26 from the solid line position shown in Figure 3 to the broken line position of Figure 3, the metal will be bent about the tapered end portion 31 of the gauge plate 30 and by moving the handle 26 to the different angular positions, the amount of bend can be controlled as desired. The pair of brackets 10 are adapted to be anchored or secured to a suitable supporting table 45 through the medium of the securing elements 11, and the brackets 10 are also secured to the support members 14 through the medium of the bolt and nut assemblies 15. The support members 14 are stationary and have the base 29 secured thereto. The body members 18 are rotatably connected to the support members 14 through the medium of the coacting tongue 19 and groove 17 whereby when the handle 26 is moved, the body members 18 can rotate. The pair of L-shaped clips 21 serve to connect the bar 20 to the pair of rotary body members 18, whereby it will be seen that movement of the handle 26 will cause similar movement of the bar 20 and plate 24, and the bar 20 and plate 24 coact with the adjacent end portion of the base 29 and gauge plate 30 to cause the material to be bent. The gauge bars 36 can be used to measure the amount of bend formed, and the spacer gauge 32 can be adjusted as desired by loosening the bolt 41 which extends through the slots 33 in the spacer gauge 32. The gauge element 42 can be calibrated in the manner shown in Figure 4.

The body members 18 constitute bearings which are rotatably connected to the support members 14. The tapered or pointed edge 31 provides a bending edge about which the metal is bent. Due to the provision of the various slots such as the slots 43, the scale 42 can be adjusted as desired. The scale 42 may be provided with inch graduations. The parts can be made of any suitable material and in difierent shapes or sizes.

The bender of the present invention is designed for open end bending. In bending an L-shaped piece, the gauge 32 is adapted to be set at A of an inch for example. The short side of the L extends outside the left end of the bending apparatus, and then the short side is bent with the long side extending over the right end of the bender. The spacer gauge 32 determines the amount of material to be bent. The gauge 42, which is graduated in of an inch, is used to adjust the gauge 32. The gauge 42 is set at zero when the part 32 is set even with the bending edge of the plate 30. The bolts 41 are used for locking the spacer gauge 32 in any position desired from zero to 1 inch. The gauge plate 30, which is the bending edge plate, is spaced from the base 29 with 18 inch gauge washers. The spacer gauge 32 is adapted to be made of 20 gauge material to give it clearance to move.

The above description of the invention is for illustrative purposes only and it is understood that modifications may be made in the construction within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a metal bending tool, a pair of L-shaped brackets, 21 support member arranged contiguous to each of said brackets and secured thereto, said support members being provided with an arcuate groove, a body member arranged contiguous to the inner surface of each of said support members, and each body member being provided with an arcuate rib slidably mounted in said groove, a movable bar extending between said pair of body members, L-shaped clips connecting said bar to said body members, a handle having its end connected to said bar, a plate arranged contiguous to said bar and secured thereto, a stationary base extending between said pair of support members and connected thereto, a gauge plate arranged above said base and provided with a tapered end portion, a spacer gauge interposed between said gauge plate and base and provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slots, securing elements extending through said gauge plate, spacer gauge, and base and through said slots, and gauge bars connected to said spacer gauge and to said base.

2. In a metal bending tool, brackets for connection to a supporting structure, a pair of spaced parallel support members connected to said brackets, a body member rotatably connected to each of said support members, each of said support members being provided with an arcuate groove, and each of said body members being provided with an arcuate rib that is slidably mounted in the grooves in said support members, a movable bar extending between said pair of body members and connected thereto, a plate member connected to said bar, a stationary base extending between said pair of support members and connected thereto, and a gauge plate having a tapered or pointed end portion connected to said base.

3. In a metal bending tool, brackets for connection to a supporting structure, a pair of spaced parallel support members connected to said brackets, a body member rotatably connected to each of said support members, each of said support members being provided with an arcuate groove, and each of said body members being provided with an arcuate rib that is slidably mounted in the grooves in said support members, a movable bar extending between said pair of body members and connected thereto, a plate member connected to said bar, a stationary base extending between said pair of support members and connected thereto, a gauge plate having a tapered or pointed end portion connected to said base, and manually operable means for moving said bar and plate member.

4. In a metal bending tool, brackets for connection to a supporting structure, a pair of spaced parallel support members, connected to said brackets, a body member rotatably connected to each of said support members, each of said support members being provided with an arcuate groove, and each of said body members being provided with an arcuate rib that is slidably mounted in the grooves in said support members, a movable bar extending between said pair of body members and connected thereto, a plate member connected to said bar, a stationary base extending between said pair of support members and connected thereto, a gauge plate having a tapered or pointed end portion connected to said base, and manually operable means for moving said bar and plate member, said manually operable means comprising a handle.

5. In a metal bending tool, brackets for connection to a supporting structure, a pair of spaced parallel support members connected to said brackets, a body member rotatably connected to each of said support members, each of said support members being provided with an arcuate groove, and each of said body members being provided with an arcuate rib that is slidably mounted in the grooves in said support members, a movable bar extending between said pair of body members and connected thereto, a plate member connected to said bar, a stationary base extending between said pair of support members and connected thereto, a gauge plate having a tapered or pointed end portion connected to said base, and manually operable means for moving said bar and plate member, said manually operable means comprising a handle, said interengaging means comprising an arcuate rib and groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 54,342 Henderson May 1, 1860 387,746 Stark Aug. 14, 1888 1,030,259 Wells June 18, 1912 1,031,136 Mayo July 2, 1912 2,564,459 Berkson Aug. 14, 1951 

